This study compared the effects of recreational football and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on body composition, muscular fitness, and cardiorespiratory fitness in overweight and obese children. Forty-two overweight/obese males aged 11-13 years [body mass index (BMI) >20.5 kg/m ] were randomly assigned to a recreational football training group (n = 14; 157.9 ± 5.8 cm; 63.7 ± 12.6 kg), HIIT group (n = 14; 163.8 ± 9.4 cm; 71.5 ± 10.5 kg), or nontraining control group (n = 14; 162.7 ± 9.3 cm; 67.4 ± 16.1 kg). Physical fitness components were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of training at the same time of the day and under similar conditions, including body composition, muscular fitness (lower-body power, change-of-direction speed, and flexibility), and cardiovascular fitness (Yo-Yo Intermittent Endurance test distance, resting heart rate, and blood pressure). Lean body mass (4.3%, ES = 0.40; 95% CI: -0.48, 1.29; P = .382) and muscle mass 4.4% (ES = 0.40; 95% CI: -0.48, 1.29; P = .378) very likely increased in the recreational football group, while possible improvements were observed in the HIIT group (lean body mass: 2.5%, ES = 0.22; 95% CI: -0.62, 1.06; P = .607, muscle mass: 2.8%, ES = 0.23; 95% CI: -0.61, 1.07; P = .594). Only trivial increases were observed in the control group for lean body mass (0.5%, ES = 0.05; 95% CI: -0.70, 0.79; P = .906) and muscle mass (1.1%, ES = 0.09; 95% CI: -0.65, 0.83; P = .814). Significant differences were found between the recreational football and control groups in post-training body mass (P = .034) and body mass index (P = .017). Body fat very likely decreased in the recreational football group (-7.7%, ES = -0.41; 95% CI: -1.29, 0.48; P = .376) and possibly decreased in the HIIT group (-5.2%, ES = -0.22; 95% CI: -1.05, 0.62; P = .607), with a trivial reduction in the control group (-1.1%, ES = -0.04; 95% CI: -0.78, 0.70; P = .914). Very likely increases in lower-body power were evident in the recreational football (17.0%, ES = 0.76; 95% CI: -0.15, 1.66; P = .107) and control groups (16.1%, ES = 0.55; 95% CI: -0.20, 1.31; P = .156), while small improvements were observed in the HIIT group (6.0%, ES = 0.24; 95% CI: -0.60, 1.08; P = .580, possible). Likely to most likely improvements in Yo-Yo Intermittent Endurance test performance and change-of-direction speed were noted in the recreational football group (Yo-Yo: 79.8%, ES = 1.09; 95% CI: 0.16, 2.03; P = .025, change-of-direction speed: -10.6%, ES = -1.05; 95% CI: -1.98, -0.12; P = .031) and the HIIT group (Yo-Yo: 81.2%, ES = 1.03; 95% CI: 0.15, 1.92; P = .025, change-of-direction speed: -5.4%, ES = -0.91; 95% CI: -1.79, -0.04; P = .045). Diastolic blood pressure likely decreased in the recreational football (-8.6%, ES = -0.74; 95% CI: -1.64, 0.17; P = .116) and HIIT groups (-9.8%, ES = -0.57; 95% CI: -1.40, 0.30; P = .195), with a possible increase in the control group (1.2%, ES = 0.21; 95% CI: -0.53, 0.96; P = .068). Recreational football and HIIT elicited improvements in all muscular and cardiorespiratory fitn...

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 12 week recreational football and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on physical fitness in overweight children. Forty-two overweight and obese boys aged 11-13 were randomly divided into three groups: HIIT group (n = 14), recreational football (n = 14) and a control group that attended regular physical education classes (n = 14). Physical fitness components were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of training at the same time of the day and under similar conditions, including: countermovement jump (CMJ), sprint over 10 and 30 m, flexibility and biochemical parameters (leukocytes, erythrocytes, hemoglobin, glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides). HIIT group increased explosive power of lower extremities by 7.16% (small ES), while the recreational football group recorded slightly less increase of 6.57% (small ES). HIIT led to a statistically significant increase (p<0.05) in the number of erythrocytes in the blood (8.90%). The recreational football program influenced the improvement of results in variables spreading lying on the back (6.21%) and the number of erythrocytes (↑ 9.11%). Twelve-weeks of recreational football and HIIT can lead to positive changes in muscle fitness, flexibility and biochemical parameters in overweight and obese children. Compared to the experimental groups, the control group noted minor changes in the aforementioned variables, which indicates the lack of intensity of exercise programs in regular classes of physical education.

This research was conducted with the purpose of determining to what extent and how a dance program affects the pre-school children's coordination. The sample comprised 65 children of a pre-school age (the control group consisted of 31 children, the experimental of 34 children), aged 6 years ± 6 months. The experimental group performed dance activities over a period of 8 weeks (2X35 minutes each week). The control group performed regular activities in the kindergarten. The level of coordination in children was determined applying a BOT-2 test battery (the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of Motor Proficiency). By analyzing the obtained research results, a statistically significant difference was found between the dance and the control group in three variables: Jumping Jacks (0.000), Jumping in place -same sides synchronized (0.012) and Tapping feet and fingersopposite sides synchronized (0.011), respectively. Statistically significant differences between the groups indicate the positive effect of the applied dance program on the development of motor coordination in pre-school children using an experimental dance program for twelve weeks. The dance program influences the coordination of pre-school age children. The results showed that children participating in the dance program achieved better results in the studied bilateral coordination in three variables, thus recommending its application in the regular preschool curriculum.

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The paper investigated possible “deafness” effects in the perception of lexical pitch accents by native and non-native listeners, that is, by Serbian and English listeners, respectively. The objective of the study was to explore which word-prosodic categories listeners used when they were required to contrast and recall sequences of lexical pitch accents. To that effect, Serbian and English listeners performed a Sequence Recall Task (SRT) in which they contrasted pairs of non-words with different Serbian lexical pitch accent types, and recalled the sequences of these non-words under different memory load conditions. Listeners’ answers were coded correct and incorrect and the accuracy scores between the groups were compared and analyzed. Both groups had almost identical levels of accuracy and they performed well above chance level on each contrast. Neither group exhibited any effects of “deafness” to lexical pitch accents. English (non-native) listeners did not differ in their performance from native Serbian listeners, which, contrary to what previous research suggested, implied that one’s native language word-prosodic category inventory did not preclude the encoding of non-native word-prosodic categories. Instead, non-native listeners were capable of deploying different prosodic resources such as post-lexical pitch accents to recall the sequences.